Although soap bars are typically sold in individual cartons, manufacturers sometimes desire to promote the sale of two bars together. This is desirable not just for the manufacturer, but it is also more convenient for the consumer when he or she wishes to purchase two or more bars at the same time.
The most common way to sell two bars of soap together, is to pack the bars in individual cartons and tape the cartons together. However, the use of tape entails additional materials, costs, and processing expense. Moreover, the tape sometimes obscures or renders less attractive the graphics on the carton. Or, where the tape is adhered prior to the printing of the graphics, the appearance of the graphics suffers as the tape is not as receptive to graphics printing as the panels of the carton.
Where soap bars and other household products are sold in twos, or other multiples, it is sometimes desirable to permit the consumer to separate readily the two compartments into separate cartons. Therefore, an advantageous feature in some cases for a multi-compartment carton is ready separability.
Another desirable feature is that the cartons be readily opened. Modern packaging's focus on preventing premature exposure of the product by premature carton opening should not result in a carton which is impenetrable, especially to particular groups such as the elderly.
Risucci, U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,457, especially FIGS. 8-12, is directed to a carton having multiple compartments which are made from separable units.
Zilles, U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,179 is directed to a multi-compartment carton having a rib separating the compartments. A flange extends from the rib and is adhered to one inside panel of the carton. An end of a second panel is adhered to the outside of a third panel.
It is believed that a product is sold by Borden Foods called "Mrs. Grass Soup" which is packaged in a multi-compartment carton. The package is perforated in the center of the carton and uses the manufacturer's glue joint as a partition.
Nerds Candy manufactured by Willy Wonka is believed to employ a carton similar to the Mrs. Grass Soup carton.
Weiss, U.S. Pat. No. 1,898,231 illustrates a multi-compartment carton having a partition with an attaching flap 15 and attaching wall 16 which is continuous with a side wall of the carton.
Morand, U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,544 discloses a plural compartment box formed from a single blank of sheet material.
Other patents relating to multiple compartment cartons include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,815,565, 2,442,699, 3,049,279, 3,092,301, 3,166,229, 3,510,046, 4,179,061, 4,398,661, 4,487,311, 4,487,358, 4,651,918, 4,826,016 and 5,048,690.
Meyers, U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,161 discloses that when sealing gases are applied to the top of underlying closure flaps, the flaps tend to droop, which interferes with sealing. Meyers makes a partial cut score along substantially the entire length of the top of the underlying flaps indented from the fold lines of the flaps to provide sealing margins. The partial cut scores may be in the form of a straight line or in sin wave or other non-linear shapes shown in Meyers' FIG. 5. The non-linear score lines are said to be stronger than the straight score lines.
Redpath et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,743 discloses a carton having a zig-zag cut score line 31 extending across the front panel. Spots of adhesive are located between the zig-zag cut score line 31 and the upper edge of the front wall when the carton is glued in tubular form. The arrangement is said to permit the outer surface of the panel to peel off readily when the carton is opened if the adhesive is bonded sufficiently not to come loose when the carton is opened.
Patents disclosing weakened portions defined by scores or cuts include Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 2,828,060, Tyrseck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,01 5,432, Brastad, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,491,937 and 3,719,317, and Kienlen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,259,822. Other cartons are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,852,180, 2,881,968, 2,884,180, 2,936,104 and 2,992,767.
Bixler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,536 discloses a carton having a delamination portion on a flap. De Blaere, U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,104 discloses a slit 40 which extends only partially through the carton structure forming the front wall and provides a weakened outer surface area to aid in the opening of the carton and to prevent peeling of the front wall when the carton is opened. Larson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,887 discloses a carton having a delaminating portion. Green, U.S. Pat. No. 3,113,713 discloses a carton having unprinted triangular areas 56.